This invention relates to a floor hockey puck. It is well known that such pucks comprise a disc generally of about three inches diameter and one inch in height with edges that can be bevelled to a slight extent sufficient to reduce rolling of the puck on the floor and to help the puck lie flat as it travels across the floor. The definition of puck referred to herein is intended to comprise merely disc-shaped objects of this general type and to exclude such other projectiles as balls, rings and the like.
Floor hockey attempts to simulate ice hockey while providing a sport which is less injurious to health. Thus, the puck itself must be designed so that its movement on a suitable floor simulates movement of the ice hockey puck on ice. Thus, it has a number of specific requirements which the ideal puck should meet in order to make it satisfactory for use in a floor hockey game. Specifically, therefore, the puck should provide the following properties:
1. It should have a low co-efficient of restitution so that it is resistant to bouncing on the floor surface. PA0 2. It should have enough weight to allow the puck when shot, to move in a straight path rather than "float", (causing the puck to dip or curve). A mass of 75 to 85 grams has been found suitable for this purpose. PA0 3. It should be resistant to damage caused by compression or stress by contact with one or more hockey sticks, the floor and feet of the players. PA0 4. It should have the correct degree of resilience to enable it to be moved under control of the stick of a player including that it must be sufficiently hard to allow for a "crisp" shot. PA0 5. When used for children or merely for recreational purposes, it should be soft enough to avoid bodily harm when contacting a player at the considerable velocity developed in shooting. For use with a more vigorous game, this requirement may be sacrificed to produce a puck which is more suitable for shooting and handling. PA0 6. The flat surfaces of the puck must be such that it can slide smoothly across a smooth floor surface.
Conventionally, pucks are manufactured by moulding from a resilient material such as hard plastics or rubber, but these have failed enough of the requirements stated above for floor hockey to become accepted widely as a sport.